Where have you been?
by Cardinal001
Summary: What had Harry been up to at the Yule Ball to make Hermione ask him that question?


**Disclaimer: All names/places etc belong to JK Rowling.**

**Where have you been?**

The Yule Ball had been going on for some time now. Everywhere one looked one could see couples dancing, laughing, sneaking outside to escape the prying eyes of the professors and generally enjoying themselves immensely.

All apart from Harry Potter.

Harry was sitting in a corner on his own. Earlier in the evening both his and Ron's dates, Padma and Parvati Patil, had been swept away by two Durmstrang students – Harry could see Padma on the dance floor laughing as the older boy span her in a circle – then Ron had wandered off in search of Hermione and her date, the international Quidditch star Viktor Krum, to make sure that Krum was not "doing anything to offend the honour of Hogwarts" as he put it, but Harry knew that Ron was insanely jealous that Krum had asked the pretty young witch to the dance before he could.

That had been about 25 minutes ago.

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley dancing together and he sighed and wondered how much longer before he could leave. Being a Tri-Wizard Champion definitely had its downsides. Frenzied dragons he could handle but this was something completely different.

…

Ginny Weasley's feet hurt.

This was only partly due to the fact she had been dancing almost constantly with Neville Longbottom and was more to do with the fact that said Neville Longbottom had spent less than half the time with his feet on the dance floor and the rest crushing her toes. Neville was a nice, if shy, boy and she was thrilled that he had asked her to the dance, but she was now wondering if it was really worth all this pain.

_I hope Madame Pomfrey's got some Skele-Gro available after this!_ she thought to herself as Neville span her round again, stomping on her little toe in the process.

It was at this point that her gaze fell upon Harry, who she could see from here was looking very miserable sitting by himself. A small pang of guilt shot through her. For all that her brother was a complete oik, Ron did have a point. She should have waited to see if Harry would ask her to the dance before accepting Neville's invitation. _And besides, _she thought to herself, _I've never thanked Harry properly for saving my life two years ago_.

Neville saw that Ginny was looking into the distance and followed her gaze. When he saw she was looking at Harry he turned back to her. It was no secret that she had a crush on Harry – her failed attempt at sending him a valentine's message in her first year had proved that – and Neville had been pleasantly surprised when she had agreed to go to the dance with him, but he was under no illusions that they would be anything more than friends.

The band's song ended.

"Go on," he whispered to her.

Ginny looked at him in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Go on," this time he motioned to Harry.

"You don't mind?" she asked.

Neville shook his head. "No of course not. I'll go and get us some drinks." With that he left her alone on the dance floor.

Ginny smiled and quickly made her way over to where Harry was sitting.

...

Harry didn't even notice Ginny approaching him, so wrapped up was he in his own self-pity. The first thing he knew was when Ginny knelt down before him and looked him in the eyes.

"Hi," she said

Harry blinked. "Er... hi," he stammered.

"Would you like to dance with me?" she asked him.

For a moment Harry didn't know what to say. This was Ginny after all. Ginny, who was his best friend's sister. Ginny, who had barely said more than five words in a single sentence to him in all the time he'd known her.

Ginny, who he'd saved from certain death in the Chamber of Secrets.

If Harry was honest with himself, ever since that event he'd felt a small attachment to the red haired girl in front of him. Nothing serious, at least not to his mind, but there was definitely something there.

_Plus, _he thought to himself, _she really does have nice skin_.

He realised that Ginny was still looking at him expectantly, her brown eyes peering deep into his. "What about Neville?" he asked.

Ginny smiled. "He said it was fine. Well?"

Wordlessly, he nodded and allowed her to take his hand and lead him out onto the floor as the band got their next song ready.

"This one is going out to all the lovers out there." the lead singer proclaimed, "Hold each other tight, and keep each other warm." And with that, the song started.

Unlike their previous number this one was much slower and gentler and Harry soon found himself swaying in time to the music, his arms wrapped loosely around Ginny's tiny frame as she in turn put her arms around him as they started to move together.

…

_Merlin, this is more like it! _Ginny thought to herself. Unlike Neville, Harry moved his feet with precision and perfectly in time with her own. Whenever she moved her feet to another position his would come in and take up the space she had just left. It was as if they were a single person. Deep inside she could feel her ten year old self jumping for joy and doing cartwheels. This was Harry Potter! She was dancing with Harry Potter! Ginny couldn't help smiling at the thought.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothing," Ginny replied, still smiling.

Deep down she knew that tomorrow they would go back to the way they normally were, with Harry spending all his time around Ron and Hermione and Ginny being too shy to talk to him, but she was grateful for this one moment where they could both be something different.

_Maybe it's this song,_ she thought to herself. The song in question was the Wyrd Sister's best selling hit Magic Works, and it was perfect for the occasion. Ginny let herself give in to the music and felt Harry do the same.

...

"And dance your final dance. This is your final chance." The band, none other than the Wyrd Sisters themselves, finished playing and the whole hall erupted into cheers and applause.

Harry stepped back and looked at Ginny, and she in turn looked at him.

"Merry Christmas Harry," she said to him.

"Merry Christmas Ginny," he replied.

A long moment passed, which was only broken by someone clearing their throat next to them.

Harry turned to see Neville standing there holding two butterbeers. He was half afraid that Neville might make a scene over Harry dancing with his date but one look at Neville's face dispelled that fear. He let go of Ginny and backed up a step and turned to face Neville.

"Neville, thanks for this."

"Think nothing of it Harry. I don't think I'm cut out for dancing anyway," Neville replied with a grin.

Harry finally saw Hermione stomping out through the Great Hall's entrance, Ron following closely behind. And, he noted with no surprise, they were arguing.

"I'd better get after them before Hermione murders your brother," he said to Ginny and, with a last glance at her and Neville, left to follow after his friends.

Ginny hugged Neville tightly. "Thank you so much for that. It means so much to me."

Neville smiled again. "It was the least I could do to say thank you for coming with me tonight."

As he spoke the band started to play again. Neville held out his hand to her.

"Shall we?"

Ginny smiled and took his hand and, as they started to dance, she thought to herself that this was totally worth the pain as Neville's heel barely missed her big toe.

…

Unbeknownst to either Harry or Ginny, they had been observed throughout the entire time they were together.

Professor McGonagall turned to Professor Dumbledore. "Did you see them, Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes I did see. I still believe it should be Mr Weasley though."

McGonagall shook her head. "But why? You saw how they were together. You can't tell me she wouldn't be more suitable! Potter would fight through You-know-who himself for her!"

Dumbledore nodded again. "You're exactly right, and that's the point. Harry has already fought Voldemort for her. He nearly lost her forever two years ago. He's faced that particular test, one which was more trying than anything we could have done I might add, and he overcame it, but to go through it again... No, I've decided that Mr Weasley will be the one he has to rescue. That is my final decision."

McGonagall nodded, still disagreeing with him, and turned back to watch rest of the dance and the other Tri-Wizard champions and their companions who were still present.

…

Harry finally caught up with Ron and Hermione, just as Hermione had finished shouting at the ginger haired boy. Seeing Harry she turned her anger on him.

"Where have you been?"

* * *

**A/N I'm back!**

**I'm sorry it's been so long since I last put a story up. I've had a number of ideas but haven't been quite able to nail any of them down properly. Anyway this is something that was buzzing around in my head and seeing Deathly Hallows part 1 made me actually write it down.**

**It doesn't really fit into my other story or into the actual book ****of Goblet of Fire****, but if you squint hard enough it might just squeeze into the film. It's really just a way for me to get back into writing.**

**Every time I think of Harry and Ginny I keep coming back to the song Magic Works on the Goblet of Fire soundtrack. It really does seem to sum them and their relationship up perfectly. If you still don't have then definitely go and get it. And the rest of the soundtracks while you're there.  
**

**Anyway hopefully it won't be so long before I get the next one done. See you then!  
**


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